Tag: Future

Prepare Future Leaders

Too many congregations struggle with poorly equipped and, at times, unqualified leaders, or no leadership at all. Most leaders have no idea who will fill this needed role in the days ahead.

Each congregation needs a plan for training, equipping, and developing leaders to prepare for the spiritual warfare facing the church.

God’s people need to recognize the challenges before us and the current leadership must rise up to prepare leaders for tomorrow.

We currently suffer the consequences of past generations that failed to plan. We need a vision related to who we can be as the Lord’s kingdom in the next generation. This will impact our children!

Potential

Potential often describes the possibility of something occurring if the right conditions or circumstances are in place.

Potential also relates to the capacity of someone to become or develop into something in the future.

Three basic areas exist when considering ways to determine potential.

Actions: What has been done over the past five or ten years that lays a foundation for the future?

Abilities:
With training and practice, abilities can change. What exists that can be built upon?

Attitude:
When a positive attitude and determination exists, potential is unlimited.

Potentially speaking, leaders can examine these three areas and set powerful goals for the future.

Ability, Motivation, Attitude

Lou Holtz once expressed, “Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.”

Scripture indicates we all have abilities. God intends for us to grow His church by utilizing our abilities.

What motivates us when we examine the leadership situation today? Are we comfortable with leadership left to someone else?

The choice of attitude is critical. When our attitude is misguided, motivation suffers.

It is time to step up. If not, the future of the church may rest in the hands of those who are incapable, unmotivated, and misguided. Where will that leave the church?

Keep Others Informed

When leaders do not keep others informed, the following happens:

People grow suspicious.
Distrust blossoms.
Doubt develops in leadership ability.
Stress fuels worry.
Anxiety leads to fear.

The lack of communication is not always intentional. Sometimes, we grow into a structured life. We develop a routine and life becomes monotonous. In the end, our communication is often affected.

Is it possible to prevent these concerns from developing and growing? Yes!

Following these three simple words…Keep others informed.

What kind of information needs to be provided? Inform others about…

Plans for the future.
Changes that need to be made.
Challenges / or hindrances facing the plans.
Any and all needs.

A Sense of Urgency

John Kotter’s book, Leading Change, describes eight steps to ultimately anchor change within organizational culture.

The first step is to “establish a sense of urgency.” Without it, the possibility of change diminishes.

Often times, awareness of a problem or crises does not go unnoticed, but an overwhelming problem of complacency prevents action producing correction.

The church faces a leadership crisis. We find that some deny the reality of the situation, while others tend to ignore it altogether.

Who will lead from the next generation? What plans are in place to train future leaders for the church?

Unless we realize the urgency of the situation, nothing changes and the result will leave the church without leaders.

Vision and Mission

In an effort to develop a vision and mission statement, we often get the ideas reversed, and rightfully so, since they are interrelated.

The mission of an organization, specifically the church, describes “what to do.” The foundation is built on the purpose of our existence and the mission directs every decision for all related activities.

The vision describes what we desire to see as a result of the mission. The vision takes into consideration the image of the future that connects the long-term desires with achievable goals.

We must communicate both the vision and mission if we hope to achieve any level of success.

The Middle

As the days, weeks, months, and years fly by, taking a moment somewhere in the middle to evaluate and ask a few questions seems appropriate.

What have we done to reach our goals and achieve the vision? Would our assessment indicate progress, or are adjustments needed to move forward? Should our goals be raised because we aimed too low, or lowered because we were too ambitious initially?

Midway allows us to evaluate our progress to determine how we lead into the future. From this position we have a better perspective of what the future looks like and how we can cast a greater vision for what lies ahead.

Better Leadership

One of the key words to the book of Hebrews is better. We live under a better covenant, based on better promises, because of a better sacrifice, the sacrifice of Jesus Himself.

The result is obviously a better hope for the future.

What does all this mean for leaders?

When we examine our leadership character, attitude, work ethic, practice, or presence, can we say it is better than previously?

When we consider the development of those who follow our leadership, would it be said they are better today than yesterday?

Are we willing to do what it takes to make it better?

The Future of Leadership

Leading is about the future. From a spiritual perspective, nothing is more important than what the eternal future holds.

However, on a more pragmatic level, leaders need to consider what the future of their leadership looks like.

Will the future hold growth and development for the church or will we be stagnant?

Will our vision point to a future where leadership is stronger or will leadership decline?

Asking questions can be unending. Yet, in the end, we must consider the necessity of planning today to ensure the future of growth and stronger leadership.

To do so, requires us to have a vision for it!

Igniting Passion to Lead

People around the world follow someone. Generally, they follow the one that influences them most.

If we reject the responsibility to shine the light of Jesus, who will people follow?

It would seem that the only possibility is the ruler of this world, the one who leads them into darkness.

Are we ready to accept the consequences of such a decision?

Leadership is not an easy task. We are often left vulnerable when we open ourselves up in order to reach out to the world. However, the result of leading others to Christ ignites a passion that drives the future of our leadership, and that of others.